Luke 22:39-46

content/bible_journal/luke_22:39-46.md

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+title = "Luke 22:39–46"
+date = "2023-02-10"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk22.39-46)
+
+The Passover is finished, the hymns are sung, and the big day is tomorrow.
+Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives as He had the last several days, but not to
+sleep. I probably couldn't either if I knew I would give up my life the next
+day. No, instead, Jesus goes to pray. He also instructs the disciples with Him
+to pray so that they do not enter temptation. I have to wonder what kind of
+tempation He is warning them against. Jesus knows Judas will be bringing
+soldiers to arrest Him, but they don't.
+
+With those words, Jesus goes off a little way to pray by Himself. Usually,
+first century Jews would pray while standing, but here Jesus kneels. While we
+have seen Jesus wield divine power, here we see His humanity, as He is weighed
+down by the difficult things He will have to do tomorrow. He even goes so far
+as to ask for a reprieve, a change of plan like Abraham got when he was told to
+sacrifice Isaac. But even at this time He submits in obedience to the Father's
+will.
+
+In my Bible, and probably in yours too, there's a little note on verses 43 and
+44. It says that some early manuscripts didn't include them. That tells me that
+there's evidence to say they probably should be in the Bible, but not with 100%
+confidence. It happens that way, sometimes, when you have really old writings,
+but not the originals. Thankfully, God is faithful to preserve His Word through
+the centuries, and there isn't any questionable passage that we base any
+important doctrines upon.
+
+Once He has finished praying, Jesus returns to the disciples and wakes them up.
+I'm not sure how many times I've read this verse, but I have never noticed
+before that it says they were "sleeping for sorrow". (_v. 45_) Now, the
+disciples catch a lot of flak from people for how they act in the Gospels, and
+a lot of it they deserve. But I think this time, we need to cut them a break.
+They weren't being lazy, disloyal, or uncommitted; they were overcome with
+grief. It seems they'd finally figured out what Jesus meant about being handed
+over to the authorities, and that it was going to happen very, very soon. I
+don't know about you, but emotional stress wears me out, and I don't keep the
+energy and motivation to do anything beyond the essential when I'm going
+through a hard time of some kind. This, then, might be the clue to answering
+what temptation they are to prray against, especially since Jesus repeats His
+instruction. It's not exactly the tempation to fall asleep, but the tempation
+to worry about what is about to happen. While it's true that you can't pray
+while you're asleep, I now expect the disciples were praying pretty hard that
+night, too.
+
+* * *
+
+Keep us from the tempation of worry, because You are entirely in control, and
+we trust You to do what is righteous.